New York, NY | In a rematch of last year's CUNYAC Final at The City College of New York, top-seeded Brooklyn College put an end to the College of Staten Island women's basketball team's bid for a Championship repeat, taking down the Dolphins by a 59-50 count. During the regular season, Staten Island and Brooklyn College split the series, with each team winning on the road. Tonight's game settled the season series and dropped the Dolphins to a season-ending 21-6 while the Bulldogs improved to 24-3.
CUNYAC Most Valuable Player Christina Pasaturo was held to a career-low eight points tonight, however, she was active on the boards, pacing Staten Island with 11 while Samantha Flecker led the Dolphins in scoring with 16 points. Price and Victoria Crea added eight and four points, respectively. The CUNYAC Finals MVP belonged to Chanel Jemmott, who led the Bulldogs in both scoring and rebounds with 18 and 14, respectively. Ten of Jemmott's 14 rebounds came on the offensive end. Taylor George picked up where Alexandra Moogan fell short tonight, going perfect from behind the arc en route to a 15-point night.
The Dolphins and Bulldogs had a defensive battle to start the game as blocks were plentiful on both ends of the floor. Each team also had their fair share of air-balls as they rushed their opportunities in the wake of terrific perimeter defending. After a solid defensive stand by the Bulldogs, Moogan, normally a three-point specialist came streaking down the floor only to be met by Pasaturo, who made sure her recovery sprint would prove to be worth it as she sent Moogan's layup attempt flying out of bounds. Brooklyn would move the ball around the perimeter, however, they were unable to penetrate which led to a CSI fast break for a Samantha Flecker for the first points of the game.
As the quarter wore on, Brooklyn began to pick at the Dolphins' defense, leading to a 7-0 run. The Bulldogs started to get inside and convert high percentage shots which helped give them a 9-4 lead heading into the second quarter. For CSI, the four points scored was their lowest output in a quarter all season, an alarming early sign. Brooklyn rolled out a 2-3 zone which stifled CSI's potent offense. Pasaturo would struggle to find the bottom of the net. Flecker, Crea, and Angelique Price stepped up to keep the Bulldogs from getting too far ahead. Flecker and Diana Todaro were powerful under the rim, extending the Dolphins' offensive stays while limiting Brooklyn's.
Each team slightly increased their shooting percentages in the second quarter and Flecker was able to bring the Dolphins within one when she drained a corner three-point basket. CSI was unable to cash in on several offensive opportunities after that, however, and Jemmott gave Brooklyn a 9-point lead, their largest of the game up to that point when she created space and sank a mid-range jumper. Brooklyn College finished the second quarter on a 15-4 run which sent the Dolphins into the locker room at the half in a 12-point hole. George, CUNYAC's Rookie of the Year, nailed a three-point shot at the buzzer to keep the momentum on their side.
CSI needed a lift after intermission and Flecker came out of the locker room and set the building on fire, helping the Dolphins go on a 14-1 run and take a 30-29 lead. Brooklyn was forced to call two timeouts to adjust their game to account for Flecker, and their answer was Jemmott, who came in and started to dictate play. Brooklyn would eventually adjust, however, their once 12-point lead had diminished. Down by two, with two minutes left in the third quarter, Pasaturo used her quick hands to create a fast break and convert the layup herself to knot the game up at 33. Things, however, spiraled downward from there, as Brooklyn replied with a 10-0 run which put them in the driver's seat for the rest of the game as the Dolphins played catch-up.
To start the Brooklyn run, CSI was unfortunately handed a pair of what they believed were bad calls. The first overturned a Brooklyn foul into a CSI traveling violation. The second was a CSI offensive foul that again negated another offensive possession. Head Coach Tim Shanahan was issued two technical fouls as a result, arguing the calls, and was ejected from the game. It proved to drive Brooklyn further, while the Dolphins saw whatever momentum they had built to that point unravel.
Brooklyn would stay locked in as the Dolphins now had the time against them, hurrying shots and getting forced into crucial turnovers down the stretch. The Bulldogs were able to stretch their lead to 18 in the fourth quarter, the largest lead of the game before the Dolphins made one last late push.
CSI went on a 10-0 run to close out the game, however, the Dolphins simply ran out of time, and Brooklyn prevailed for the 59-50 victory, earning their first-ever entry into the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
The Dolphins, who were receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, will now hope to get an at-large bid to participate in the NCAA Division III Tournament come next weekend. They will learn their fate on Monday afternoon, when the NCAA announces its official draw.
